From the author of

From the author of

Administrative Tools is an umbrella term that Microsoft uses for advanced system management programs. Windows 7, like its predecessors Windows Vista and Windows XP, includes shortcuts to a number of programs in the Administrative Tools folder.

In this article, we'll focus on the tools and features that are new to Windows XP users transitioning to Windows 7.

Locating Windows 7's Administrative Tools

Administrative Tools can be launched from Windows 7's Control Panel's System and Security category (Figure 1), or from the Large or Small icons view.

Figure 1 When you access Administrative Tools from the System and Security Category, you can also start Disk Cleanup or Disk Defragmenter.

As with Windows Vista or Windows XP, you can also choose to have Administrative Tools available from the Start or All Programs menu: